The Deception
by SexyBVirgo
Summary: Kaname makes a decision that pushes them apart just when they need each other the most Sequel to The Proposal
1. Chapter 1

**I Do Not Own Vampire Knight!**

**A/N Thank You to my beta Loveless Raine...Who also provided the fanart!**

**Let's Go!**

**Chapter One:The Silence Of Omission**

_**Five Years Later**_

He stood very still, the leaves whispering softly in his ears as the slight night wind rustled through the tree like ghosts playing night tag among them. He stood high in its boughs, eyes closed, the night shadows pulled closely around his body, shielding his presence. Not that they would notice him as they bungled their way through the forest. Even this far away he could hear them. And in the last five years his senses had sharpened so dramatically, he could see them with his eyes closed as if they were fireflies playing at midnight. Awareness opened his synapses, filling him with tense excitement and he steeled himself against the sudden rush of adrenaline.

_Patience, _he cautioned himself. _They are coming to you._

Like a herd of bulls. They weren't even taking the time to move secretly, instead depending on their numbers.

Fucking idiots

He timed it just right, using every sense at his disposal, dropping from the branch at the first trembling of the earth just before his position. He dropped right in the center amidst them, his ten inch blades already in his hands. A slender blade of death took the first level E through the heart and crystalline dust burst over the group. The one behind it tried to halt its mindless rush and only succeeded in delaying its own death by mere seconds as he waded in on a murderous tide. His foot right foot snapped backwards, hitting the Level E just behind him turning to engage. The hidden dagger in his boot reduced it to ash immediately. He was already twisting to take on another one.

He was moving so fluidly, so quickly they were having trouble getting a bead on him as they tried to attack him singly. In a matter of minutes he'd cut their numbers by half. That's when they remembered they were currently working in a 'group' and converged on him all at once.

He sensed the change in their battle plan and realized that his eyes were still closed. Swaying to the side, he dodged swiping claws and opened them. Only to stumble as a wave of dizziness tilted the forest around him. He reeled to the side, narrowly evading another set and then yelped in surprise as a strong grip tangled in his shirt and ripped him away from the fray, sending him flying a few meters away.

He cursed luridly as he skidded across grass and over fallen branches. He looked over to see a slender, silver haired shadow of himself take his place. He forgot his anger for a moment as he watched the graceful figure dispatch more of the level E's with minimum sweat. But only for a moment. He huffed under his breath, bracing his feet against the ground as he prepared to rejoin the battle. A large foot, followed by an equally large leg stomped into the ground just in front of his face. He rolled his eyes up. And up. He gave the dark skinned man effectively blocking his way a look that would have scoured skin. The big man wasn't the least affected by it. He laughed and crossed his arms, enjoying the show as a broad shouldered blonde joined the slender shadow. The remaining level E's stopped abruptly, snarling as their feet stuck to the ground, ice slithering up their legs.

Zero growled deep in his throat, flipping to his feet. The blades retracted until they were once again a part of his body. He brushed grass off his clothes and then affected the same pose as Sean, waiting for the right moment to ream his brother properly. The entire time he watched, the vertigo worked on his sight though he gave not outward sign of it. It was just tiredness he told himself. Maybe he should just go straight home and get sleep. But not before he told his brother just what he thought of his interference.

So he watched in heated silence as the duo finished mopping up the rest of the level E's, Ichiru's long katana shattering frozen organs and limbs as he moved among them with innate vampire grace, his blonde counterpart mirroring him superbly. They worked good as a team, he mused to himself. The ground was soon covered by frozen ashes, surrounding the two men in black. And suddenly Ichiru was in his face, his own more furious than a monsoon in September. Zero was just as angry.

"What in the hell was that?" He gritted out, a forward step bringing him closer.

"That. Is. My. Fucking. Line!" Ichiru looked as if a nuclear warhead was exploding in his head. "Just what in the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Killing E's apparently."

"Or 'apparently' about to be killed by them yourself! Idiot!" Ichiru took deep breaths to calm himself, to stop himself from screaming, "Why were you out here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be at headquarters? Or that's where we left you earlier this evening."

Zero frowned at him. "Do I look like your son? I go where I want."

"No, you look like my president! You know the one who is supposed to be _leading_ us?"

"And what the hell is a leader who can't lead from the front lines?" Zero snarled. "I didn't sign up just to sit behind a desk when all of my hunters are out here risking their lives."

Ichiru waved towards the sea of ashes. "You call that a risk? I could have taken care of that all by myself."

He snorted rudely. "And yet you're here berating me for taking them on myself."

Ichiru gave Aidou and Sean a covert look that had them sliding away into the shadows. He waited until he could no longer feel Aidou's aura before he started speaking again. "But we know that you aren't in top form. For whatever reason in the last couple of months you've had these spells. And you insist on ignoring them and taking even more risks."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zero turned to walk away, really, really not wanting to broach that particular subject. "I'm just tired and out of shape. That's what sitting behind a desk does to you. Ow!" He turned back, rubbing his hand where his brother had whacked him. "What the fuck!"

"Because you're acting like an idiot so I might as well treat you like one." Ichiru smirked at him. "What is going on with you? How many times has this happened that I haven't noticed. Or Kaname?"

He'd been stalking forward, intent on paying his brother back for his little stunt. His mate's name stopped him as if Aidou had frozen _his _ feet to the ground.

"Does he know that you are out here?" Ichiru slammed the nail in his coffin with nonchalant aplomb. "He doesn't does he?"

"Of course he doesn't." He scrubbed tense fingers through his hair at the thought. His senses weren't the only thing that'd improved over the years. His mastery of the bond had as well. He'd learned to control it almost as well as Kaname could. He'd closed off his side the second the report was slid across his desk. Though it wasn't closed completely. His pureblood wouldn't be able to pinpoint his location exactly or what he was doing, but he would get impressions of his well being. That alone made him want to make his _forbidden _foray well worth it. "I'm leaving and if I just _happen _to run into another patch of E's don't interfere."

"How could I not? You're asking the impossible. I'm not going to sit here while you get yourself killed by being prideful." Ichiru followed, as relentless as a rattlesnake. "We need to find out what's going on with you. And get it fixed."

"I told you! I'm fine! Now just go the fuck away!"

"So fine that Kaname asked me to keep an eye on you?"

He let out a sound of frustration and anger at Ichiru's blatant extortion. "Kaname is a possessive, irrational pureblood who can't not let his kingly duties spill over into his personal life. If I followed everything he wanted for me, I'd be dressed in a french maid's outfit and serving him as his _only _subject."

Ichiru laughed, a sharp bark and raised his hands in supplication. "What? It's true!"

And his pureblood had only gotten worse in the ensuing years, even going so far as to place guards on him at his work place. To think vampires at the Association! That'd been an interesting conversation!

…_You're not putting vampire sentries at the Association!"_

_"And just what is it that you object to? Vampires guarding you? Or vampires at the Association? They'll get used to it. After all it was part of the treaty. And you are royal consort to the King of Vampires."_

_"Damn it! That's why I didn't want to accept the post!"_

_Kaname ambushed him from behind, snaring him in long arms. He tipped his head back and nibbled playfully at his throat. "But you did accept the post and me, so now you have to deal with it…._

He'd given in, much to his consternation and ended up with two vampire enforcers following him to work every night. He'd given them the slip tonight so Kaname most likely did now that something was up. That made him even more tired. He shook his head in exasperation. "I'm going home."

Ichiru watched him go, saddened at the slump of his brother's shoulders, his figure blurring out of sight, happy that he wasn't in his situation. Then his own back tensed as he remembered just what _situation _he was in.

"You're not going to follow him?" He didn't turn as the deceptively genial voice waltzed out of the darkness caressing the length of his spine. It felt as if the sun shined on him, the alluring heat dispersing the coolness of the night. He knew if he turned the image of would assault his eyes as if he were looking directly into the sun. It was just that bright. That hot.

"I think Sean has that covered. But good luck to him keeping up." His honed senses fluttered as the sunlight behind him moved closer. He sheathed the blade with the practiced ease and took two steps forward. "I'm going ahead, maybe I'll find more level E's."

"So I'm to assume that you're not going to drink tonight either."

As the voice heated him, despite the ice he knew was curling in Aidou's blood, he was reminded just why he wouldn't be drinking from the noble tonight. Every time he did it was like losing a piece of himself, every drop of blood just making it worse. "Is that why you tracked me down tonight?" He queried in a voice that he hoped was firm but suspected that he didn't succeed at all. "I'm fine. When I need to drink, I'll come find _you_."

"It's almost been a month."

"I'm fine." His voice was curt, angry. He didn't want to feed from the noble. It was as if, with every drop, the fledgling bond between them opened just a little bit more, like a rose unfurling. He was almost desperate to stop it.

"Are you?" Aidou pressed. "Or are you going to wait until you're almost mindless with hunger?"

Finally he turned, scowling at the noble. As he thought it would, the vision of Aidou seared his eyes.

The noble had matured greatly in the last five years that's they'd been in this symbiotic relationship. Aidou had grown at least six inches, his body filling out and into a muscular physique that would draw anyones eyes. His shoulders seemed to span Ichiru's reach and his waist was trim heading the way into legs so long he felt as if he could build a highway on them. He'd let his hair grow out so that his shining blond topknot brushed those very same delectable shoulders. His face was sharp planes and angles as if some sculptor had gone in and designed a mortal face from Godly materials. His blue eyes gleamed like sapphires even in the dusk of the night. All in all the blonde was way too sexy for his existence and tortured Ichiru with it every chance that he got. Even in the dark of the forest he seemed to shine like the sun at high noon. It was enough to make a blind man shield his eyes. And Ichiru wasn't blind. Far from it in fact, his vampire senses honed to their most definite. He ignored his urge to squint and look away again.

Aidou stared back at him, well aware of the effect he had on the second twin. "Feeding is much better when you're in your right mind."

As if. The last time that he'd tried that, he'd felt the bond opening between them like a living thing. A ravenous thing that would eat them whole and alive. He hadn't done _that _since and avoided drinking from Aidou until the noble's blatant effect on him was buffered by the mindless.

"How do you know? You've never drank from anyone." It was a taunt. Plain and simple.

And it had absolutely no bite. His eyes widened as Aidou's sharpened with interest, turning almost black.

"Is that an invitation? Because if it is I accept wholeheartedly."

"Baka!" He turned away, unable to withstand the shining glory that was Aidou. "I'm going back first!" He took a powerful leap, grabbing onto the branch furthest from him, using his momentum to propel himself to the next. He fled through the forest, with no idea what he was running from.

**KXZ**

He alighted on the balcony and immediately felt the seething, ferocious aura moving towards him.

Of course Kaname would know that he was home.

But he was more than ready. He had a bone to pick with the pureblood. His brands throbbed in symphony with his thoughts. Kaname hadn't drunk from him in many days and he was feeling the lack. Something was off with his pureblood. He hadn't fed in forever and he watched Zero almost clinically as if he were waiting for some type of reaction. And they hadn't made love in days. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, he was feeling the leftover effects. His weary body sagged slightly as he hung his jacket. He looked at the bed longingly. He was tired. But he didn't want to go to sleep alone. He wanted to drift off to slumber wrapped in Kaname's arms. Hell, more than that. He wanted to drift off to sleep after having his mate buried, hard and deep inside of him. A wish it seemed his mate wasn't inclined to grant. He glowered at the door as Kaname's ferocious aura oozed between the seams. In the mood he was in, it didn't impress him much. For some reason his mate was holding back. He wanted to know why, but no matter how he dipped into that perplexing, mysterious mind, he'd found nothing. It made him twitchy, and unsure. He wanted to know what his mate was hiding.

Kaname entered the room, silent like a grim reaper, dressed in all black limbs moving smoothly in black slacks, shirt conforming the the pleasant contours of his chest. The look in his sable eyes was just as scary as they latched onto Zero immediately where he stood next to the window, moonlight illuminating his lithe frame. That was until the rage simmered down to slight irritation as Zero watched in frustration. Kaname deliberately tamped down his anger, masking it with artificial calm as he sat down on a settee across the room, chestnut hair waving around his expansive shoulders. He slouched too nonchalantly for Zero's tastes. His mating marks throbbed again as those dark eyes dripped down his form like warm honey.

"I trust you had a good night?" Kaname crossed his arms casually, warmth the only inflection in his voice.

Zero stared at him for a full minute, stymied by the cool front presented when he could feel the boiling cauldron just underneath his pureblood's skin. And as they were both competent at controlling it, the bond remained semi closed between them. His senses reeled at the double faceted feelings resonating through the bond. He knew his mate was angry and yet he refused to give that anger an outlet. He was used to Kaname's emotions bleeding over when he was with him. This Kaname confused him. This Kaname tiptoed around like he was made from fragile glass. As if he would shatter in the wake of strong emotions. He opened his mouth to demand an answer and yet that wasn't what spilled from his throat.

"I did." He turned away stripping off his outer shirt, wondering at his own hesitation.

He frowned as he tossed his clothes in the laundry. What was stopping him from confronting his mate head on? The sense of uneasiness, he decided. Sometimes when his pureblood kept secrets, he really didn't want to know about it, the unveiling of them alway leaving him at a disadvantage.

"Oh, you did. Chasing knots of Level E's when you were supposed to be at the Association's Headquarters."

Zero froze at the slight bite in Kaname's tone, looked over his shoulder and smirked slightly. The tension between them was tighter than a wire and he knew his mate was wound so tight it would only take a little to push him to the breaking point.

"Did you think I was going to sit behind a desk for my entire stint as the _President_?" He asked it casually, just matching his mate's tone. He shed his pants and grabbed his robe from the closet, feeling Kaname's eyes sharpen on his back. He slipped it over his shoulders, ignoring his mate's acute regard. "I don't remember agreeing to _that_."

"One of these days, _Zero_, you're going to find yourself tied to that bed behind locked doors."

The threat, made in that oh so bland voice while the furious tempest struck at the link that connected them was menacing. As if he cared. Kaname's brand of torture was what he was craving right now. He turned in a swift movement of flashing skin and silky cloth sitting on the edge of the bed facing his errant mate.

"You've made that threat so many times, I don't believe it anymore." He waved it off dismissively. And watched as black on black eyes flared deep red. Kaname's entire body tensed as his thoughts were broadcast through the half closed bond. His mate stood slowly, the action dangerously deliberate. He glided forward until he was standing a hair away. Zero lifted his face in invitation. His marks burned as the smooth silk of fingertips brushed the high blade of his cheek. His lids half veiled his eyes as strains of sensual music washed over him. It took him a moment to recognize it as Kaname's heartbeat he was so distracted by his mate's nearness. Sinful lips followed and he sighed into the soft kiss that graced his lips. Too soft in his opinion.

He reached up, grasping a strong wrist as Kaname made to withdraw.

"Stay," He whispered. He really wanted to fall asleep tangled with his mate.

He felt the instant second thought before Kaname made up his mind, straightening to his full height with one last reluctant kiss.

"You're tired and I'm still meeting with the foreign vampire dignitaries. You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be very tiring."

He blinked. He'd forgotten about the gathering of nobles from all over the world in their annual meeting and tribute of Kaname, the High Vampire King. He groaned. "I don't see why I have to attend," He griped softly, not letting go.

"Because you are my consort. And you know all of the vampires love looking at you."

"Yeah, like a science experiment." He finally allowed himself to release his pureblood, but he sure as hell wasn't happy about it. He glared at Kaname collapsing onto the bed. "Fine, go. I'll be sleep."

A faint smile touched the temping lips that he still wanted pressed against his. "I'll be up shortly."

"They should all just got to sleep." He rolled over, presenting Kaname with his back. He listened for the sound of his mate leaving, but of course he heard nothing. Kaname moved like a shadow. He resisted the urge to open the bond fully and eavesdrop, tossing on the bed until he dropped into a fitful sleep, still wondering what was going on with his _King._

**KXZ**

**Hello! Me Again! So this is the first chapter of the sequel! I know that you will have questions….remember there's always a method to my madness Muahahahaha!**

**I hope that you enjoy this story as much as you did the first!**

**Until Next Time….**


	2. Chapter 2

**I Do Not Own Vampire Knight**

**A/N Thank You to my Lovely Beta: LovelessRaine Who kept me on track with this Chapter!**

**Let's Go!**

**Chapter Two: Avoidance**

_"How did you find us?"_

_Kaname asked the question softly, only a hint of censure in his voice as he faced the small vampire delegation. He was standing in front of Zero with Cross, Toga, Aaron, Yuki, the newly implanted hunters and the night class flowing behind him. His inky eyes glimmered with the reflection the pale, shimmering moon, his stance defensive. It was obvious the recent calamity involving his mate wouldn't be forgotten so soon. Zero gave a huff of annoyance as he looked around his shoulder. As if he needed to be protected. The pureblood hadn't let him out of his immediate sight in weeks. It would be a long time before he trusted any vampires around his mate. Hell, hunters too for that matter._

_Takamura Ryoji, having come to the same conclusions, lifted his hands in a conciliatory gesture, a friendly smile turning up the corners of his mouth. It faltered slightly as his eyes touched on the scene behind them, taking in their continuous efforts to repair the Association Headquarters._

_"It was not hard to deduce where you would be." His eyes flickered to where Zero stood behind him._

_Immediately the air around them tightened as Kaname's aura rose in threat._

_Takamura was quick to reassure him. "We are not here to war with your mate or your mate's people. Instead we come to offer peace and an alliance. The peace that you seek. We know that you are seeking members to make up a new council. However," He waved his hands to those standing with him. "We have decided that we want a sovereign to rule, to lead the council. Someone who will take all sides into account." He looked at Zero once more. "It is obvious you will do that. We want someone who will make decisions not just based on the greed for power. Someone who can be ruthless when needed not just for the sake of being so."_

_Kaname laughed and it was a scornful sound in the night air. "Who says that I don't want power? I believe that you are asking the wrong person."_

_Zero reached out and touched his shoulder softly when he would have turned away in dismissal. Kaname turned to look at him, his mien severe._

_**It is fitting that the President of Association would be mated to the King of Vampires**_

_His inner voice was smug, his look daring him to refuse._

_**Just think, the two of us ruling. What would that accomplish for the vampire and the hunter world?**_

_**I think that you have too much power over me.**_

_Kaname returned his attention to the where the cabal clustered together, waiting. "I see only nobles and lesser ranks," He commented curiously._

_"Not just us. We are only a portion of your supporters," Takamura paused meaningfully, "Though not all of the purebloods supported this decision, but enough that we would make you our King."_

_"And you would accept Kiryuu Zero as my royal consort?" His words said plainly that if they did not, __**he **__wouldn't._

_Takamura smiled. "We expected nothing else."_

_He kneeled on one knee, and as a whole, the delegation followed him…_

He woke from the dream of a memory, warmly ensconced in his _Kings's_ arms. He was pressed flushed against the pureblood, a leg slung over his hip, his robe tangled around the both of them. Kaname's fingers were threaded through his hair like a tight seam, unwilling to let him go even in sleep. His nose was nestled in the hollow of Kaname's throat and his delectable smell reminded Zero that he was famished. He thought briefly of food and discarded the idea as he lacked any interest in it. Now the smell of his mate tantalized his nose and his fangs tingled. He sniffed and snuggled closer, luxuriating in the thought of sinking them deep and the result that would follow. The need was so extreme that he concentrated on it, recalling the last time he'd drunk from his mate. With a slight shock, he remembered that it had been only the night before.

His brow wrinkled in thought as he realized that a night hadn't passed in the last month when he hadn't drunk from his mate. That in itself was peculiar as neither of them had had to drink from the other every day since the day they'd completely bonded. But each night that he'd woken he'd been ravenous and only Kaname would do. Thinking back on it know he also realized that he'd hadn't eaten any food what so ever. And the more he drank, the less Kaname did. He wondered just what in the hell was wrong with him.

"Hungry?"

Kaname's amusement melted him from his thoughts and he opened his mouth to deny it, thinking of how hungry his mate should be. Kaname's fingers locked in his hair like a cinch as he guided Zero's mouth to the thin skin over his pulse.

"Drink. I can't have you unfocused at the party tonight. I won't have you unprepared."

"Damn it Kana-"

"Do you really want to have this argument right now?" Kaname asked, voice still husky from sleep. "When you're so hungry?" He pulled, stroking Zero's lips across his throat.

Zero struggled against his iron hand, the heated scent of his consort quickly overcoming any other thoughts in his head. "Damn, you overbearing, cocky son of a-" The last part of his derogatory sentence ground to a halt when Kaname yanked his head up, giving him what he'd so craved the night before. The velvety softness of Kaname's sliding, dominating mouth turned his feisty anger into melting capitulation. He softened in his mate's hands, sighing in appreciation as the delicious taste of him saturated his tastebuds. The sensation of the hot, supple tongue sliding against his, teasing the soft contours of his mouth was somehow satisfying, filling his sensory levels to capacity.

Just that quickly his fighting ire was subdued, overtaken by the needs of his body. His body was at stiff assiduity, each nerve clamoring for the touch that he yearned for. Solar flares of heat burned the length of him as he let his hands slip up Kaname's stomach to his chest, mapping the lines of his muscles in delight, stroking gently, familiarizing himself with the feel of his mate all over again. Excitement burst under his skin as the hunger was overrode by sexual awareness.

Kaname hissed into his mouth as his fingers brushed against his nipples. And then he was detaching his mouth, tucking Zero's at his throat again, much to his disappointment.

"Drink."

He bit down without thought, the heady sensual kiss and his mate's enticing scent undoing him. He whimpered as the savory nectar poured down his throat. As usual, the taste Kaname hit him like a runaway thief, stealing away cognitive thought. Just as his mate wanted. He became pliable putty in his mate's experienced hands, fusing into him in surrender.

He drank in long, leisurely draughts, sinking into the bond, reveling in his mate's happiness as he imbibed. All the while he caressed his mate with roving hands. In the dim haze of feeding, he felt Kaname remove his hands smoothly, drawing them up until they were wrapped around his neck. He frowned through the sensuous river that he tumbled in, trying got break through the surface.

"More," Kaname urged as he tried to pull away, his hold keeping him right where he was. "Don't be so stubborn. You've pushed yourself too hard these last weeks." The deep, dark voice vibrated within him and he groaned against the satin flesh and drank more. As Kaname wanted, his doubts slipping away despite his own wants. His engorged erection rose proudly. He undulated sexily, trying to tempt his mate into doing what he wanted. He removed his fangs from Kaname's neck.

"Make love to me." He whispered the demand, fully expecting his mate to acquiesce to his needs. He blinked in amazement when Kaname withdrew from his completely, leaving him with a soft peck on his forehead.

"Not tonight, Zero. You know once I start I won't be able to stop and I have to take care of some last minute details before the tribute."

Zero fell back against the pillows languorous from the feeding, watching his mate beat a hasty retreat from the bed, amazed that he could deny him when his desire was so obvious. Fledgling anger rose in him but his body was too relaxed to take him up on it. All he could do was observe as Kaname made for the bathroom as if the hounds of hell were nipping at heels. He made his displeasure known as he let the bond open fully between them.

_What in the hell is going on with you?_

_I told you, the tribute is tonight and if I-_

_I know what you told me but you've never deni-_

_Tonight is not the night to have this conversation! There are bigger things going on besides your desires! The support I need for my army is resting on what happens tonight! The factions are trying to tear down my regime as we speak! You know tonight is very important! Now I'm taking a shower, get more rest if you need it._

There was truth in his mate's voice, but he couldn't help but think that Kaname was avoiding something even deeper than the uneasiness slowly crumbling the empire he was trying to build. Something more personal that his pureblood didn't want to discuss with him. He made a pact with himself to dig a little deeper once this infernal tribute was over and he could get his mate alone for more than five minutes. It really didn't help that his mind and body were of an accord with Kaname. He really was tired, even though he'd just woke. He let his eyes close. Just a few more minutes…and when Kaname got out of the shower they'd discuss this a little…..

He blinked, looking up in surprise as a concerned Yuki hovered over him. Her small, slender hand cupped his shoulder.

"Finally! I've been trying to get you to wake up for the last ten minutes! You sleep so hard." Her full, scarlet lips pursed in agitation. "Hurry up! The tribute will be starting shortly and Kaname wants you there soon!"

Speaking of which. "Where is Kaname?" His voice was rusty and it was obvious he'd been asleep for more than a couple of minutes.

Yuki straightened, her rotund figure resplendent in fire red, the long lines cupping her pregnant form lovingly. "He went ahead. There were some last minute things he needed to take care of. He sent me to wake you up and help you get dressed."

He ignored her, turning over onto his side, settling deeper into the bedding. "I'm not going."

"What in the hell do you mean you're not going? Everyone is expecting you!"

He shrugged, unconcerned. "So? I'm not feeling well. I'm tired."

Yuki hesitated. "What do you mean you're not feeling well? Have you been working nonstop again?"

More like he was feeling petulant. He remembered just what he'd fallen asleep on. And the the bastard had just left him here! He had a few choice words for his mate when he saw him again! "It's nothing. I'm just tired. Let Kaname handle it." His voice was tempered with sleepiness and resentment. He felt like a toddler not getting his way. But dammit! He wanted to have sex, not attend some boring party surrounded by equally boring vampire subordinates! "I'm sure Kaname would understand."

Still Yuki didn't move, nonplussed by this side of Zero. "What do you mean you're tired? Vampires don't get tired unless they're-" She halted in mid sentence as a firm knock sounded on the sturdy wood of their door. They both turned to look as Aaron entered, clad in a shining white tuxedo. He filled the room like the sun, his blood red hair radiant in the low light of the room. He moved purposefully towards the bed, a determined look on his face.

"Kaname told me you would still be here. Get out of the bed President, the tribute is going to start soon."

"Not you too!" Zero groaned into his pillow. "And when did you become Kaname's lackey?" He asked fractiously. He wished they would all just leave him alone and let him get the rest he needed. It was completely lost on him that he'd gotten a full days sleep and then some. All he could concentrate on was that his mate had left him alone in his needy state.

_I'm going to murder him!_

His body agreed with him wholeheartedly, still pulsing with the feeling of curbed desires.

Yuki turned to Aaron in relief. "He says he's not going!"

"Ah, we can't have that can we?" Aaron stopped at the end of the bed. "Everyone is expecting you. Think of how unhappy Kaname would be if you didn't show."

Zero stared at him in disbelief. One of his own hunters! But come to think of it, Aaron did spend more time at Kaname's side, being part of the council and all. But when had the pureblood and the hunter become so chummy? Even sending the hunter to do his dirty work? He glared at the tall, crimson haired man. "Why is my presence needed? They're all here to see Kaname anyway."

"Because you are the President of the Hunter's Association." Aaron explained patiently. "The two of you together present a united front. Something Kuran needs right now as well as the Association. Every one needs to know that you stand firmly together."

Zero couldn't argue with that, but it was with much cajoling, and threats of Kaname's displeasure on Yuki's side, that they got him out of bed and dressed in his own glowing white tuxedo. His silver hair brushed the collar of his jacket, and his diamond bracelets were a discreet gleam among the blinding cloth. His lilac eyes glittered bright in contrast to his pale skin, giving him a slightly ethereal look. He gave his reflection a cursory glance as he turned to where Yuki and Aaron stood waiting. Yuki beamed at him.

"You look fantastic!"

He didn't feel fantastic. He gave the bed one last look of longing as they ushered him downstairs and into the car, his temper not at all subdued. When they pulled up to the new demesne where the Vampire King and the council handled all of their affairs, his disposition hadn't improved one bit. The entire ride had been full of Yuki's chatter, his surly replies and Aaron's watchful eye on him the entire time. When he entered Kaname's private office, where his pureblood was waiting for him, a storm was brewing noisily inside of him. Kaname stood behind his desk murmuring quietly with Cross. He was a dashing, mouthwatering work of art in his own tuxedo, the expensive material fitting his broad shoulders and trim shape like a loving second skin. His lustrous chestnut hair falling away from his handsome face in sleek waves. Toga and Seiren lounged on a couch nearby As angry as he was, he didn't acknowledge them as he stomped up to the desk.

"Get out."

Kaname turned, observing the blazing purple eyes with no trepidation in his own. Not breaking eye contact he nodded discreetly to the other occupants of the room. They vacated the room with prudent speed, his demeanor promising terrifying retribution. Kaname's brow raised with studied calmness.

"Now that was rather….rude, don't you think?" The pureblood king questioned, voice placid.

"Do you think I give a damn?" If only he could keep his own so still. But it seethed with frustration as he tried to glare Kaname down. His hands curled into strained fists at his side, his chest pumping in his agitation. "I want a fucking explanation."

Kaname's expression was contrived innocence. "Zero you-"

"Do not. Give. Me. That tired. Bullshit!" He snapped over his mate. "I am not going into that party until you explain what in the hell is going on! You pull away from me whenever I try to get close to you and you haven't drunk in days, even though you keep pushing me to! So I will ask you again. What. In. The. Hell. Is. Going. On! And don't even think about answering me with another lie!"

With each word of his tirade, Kaname's face became hard, as if he were built of marble, body still with that frozen stoicism only vampires could effect. His silence told Zero that he wasn't going to answer. Fury turned the room around him into bloody description. "Fine. Don't tell me. I'm going home. When you're ready to talk you can see me there."

He turned smartly on his heel and rammed into Kaname's chest.

_Shit!_

He'd forgotten how fast Kaname could move. Kaname leaned over him, clapping a hand down onto the desk to entrap Zero between it and him. He crowded his unruly mate back against the solid slab of wood, breathing softly against his hair as he sought a place of tranquility. The words of abuse that Zero was prepared to heap on his pureblood fled as Kaname's body hummed with tension where it lay over his. His nearness was disconcerting, distracting in his present state of mind. But Kaname's next words let him know they were not on the same line, page or even in the same book.

"All I _see_ is a child throwing a temper tantrum because he is not getting his way." Kaname breathed, the words as soft as a newborn's down, his lips tracing a gentle pattern over his temple. "But tonight is not about _you_. The peace of our _kingdom_ partly rests on what happens tonight and I cannot believe that you would jeopardize that in pursuit of carnal desires, when we have the rest of our lives to indulge in that."

Stung, Zero placed his hands to push his mate away, tendrils of hurt stabbing at him.

Kaname just pressed closer, forcing him to stay where he was. "Now, you can walk into that party of your own accord or I can carry you in over my shoulder like a petulant child. Which is it going to be hmmm?"

Though he hadn't raised his voice throughout his ultimatum, Zero could feel the dangerous exigency in his tone. He knew Kaname would do just as he threatened. Mulishly, he refused to answer or look at his mate. Kaname felt his tempestuous compliance anyhow. He stepped away straightening his jacket with graceful gentility, offering Zero his arm.

"Shall we?"

Zero ignored this, plastering a cold smile on his face as he moved around Kaname, his stride stiff with acerbity.

He wondered how he would make it through the night with out exploding and shooting someone.

**KxZ**

**ooooh! Harsh I know! It hurt my feelings to write this chapter!**

**Thank You to every one who followed and faved and To All my lovely reviewers:**

**LovelessRaine**

**Ben4Kevin**

**TwistedNoir**

**Winter**

**XoXoDenisee**

**KxZFangirl**

**ShadowsOfPenAndPaper**

**Kluna**

**Goshikku Hime wa Yami-San**

**OfDarknessandFlowers**

**ZeamagiriZyenn**

**God-d-e-ss Eternity**

**Ramupop**

**KazeKirran**

**Lady Annalin**

**Fumochan**

**Kanze**

**Yuki Kiryuu**

**And two Guest**

**Until Next Time….**


	3. Chapter 3

**I Do Not Own Vampire Knight Nor Do I Make Any Profits for My Story**

**A/N Sorry It Took So Long To Update! Technical Difficulties Stopped Me From Getting on The Net**

**Thank You to My Lovely Beta LovelessRaine! Muah!Muah!Muah!**

**Let's Go!**

**Chapter Three:**

**Dangerous Night**

Zero stalked out of the room, his shoulders like aged oak trees, stiff and upright.

Kaname watched him go, his eyes studying the slim curve of hips and the symmetry of the long legs that were currently widening the gulf between them. Regret filtered through him, but then it too was suppressed as he forcibly tamped down the beast inside of him. It was an intense struggle of forbearance as the beast watched Zero leave with his eyes.. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to snatch his pissed off mate up, drag him back into the room and show him where his wants really lay. Over and over, again and again until his little hunter was limp and satisfied beneath him, shivering in amorous delight. His little hunter was gaining an aura of his own and contrary to its' owners state of being, it caressed him as his mate swept out of the door, trying the enormous restraints of his control.

He wanted to say 'Fuck this idiotic tribute' and spend the night wallowing in his mate's sweet scent until they were both insensible. The need was so palpable he was surprised that Zero couldn't sense it.

_Damn!_ His nose flared as he breathed in the lingering scent of his beloved. Like strawberry short cake. Sweet and luscious. And totally eatable.

He cursed as he had to tame his beast yet again. It was a battle when all the both of them wanted to do was push Zero down and subject him to the sweetest tortures imaginable. Until he knew exactly to who and where he belonged.

_Soon. Very, very soon,_ he promised the dark entity that shared his skin. He wiped a lone bead of sweat, the product of his battle, and caught up with his angry mate.

Zero stood before the monolithic double doors that led into an equally humongous ball room, still conscious, in his anger, of the public image they wanted to convey to the masses. He sauntered up behind him, all svelte grace, slipping a hand under his elbow. He felt his hunter tense when a stray finger caressed the sensitive flesh underneath the suit material. That inevitable glare focused in his direction. Dared him to let it go any further. It urged him to show just who was in charge. Though it occurred to him that it was his little hunter that held all the winning cards. Four weeks without making love to him and he and his beast walked a razor edged cliff of frustration. His hand tightened around Zero's elbow and he pulled the silverette into the heat of his body, fascinated as Zero's smell heated, morphed from honeyed sweetness to an irresistible temptation that clouded his head.

To distract himself, he let his eyes weigh down on the large, graceful doors before them, focusing on the crowd on the other side.

"Shall we?" He didn't understand how he was able to pull off the bland tone when all he wanted to do was roar, throw Zero over his shoulder and make for the nearest bed. He flexed and the inexorable force of his will swelled, pushing against the humongous doors. He didn't give Zero time to answer as he swept them forward and onto the high platform that proceeded the stairs into the ballroom proper.

"His Grace Kuran Kaname and his Royal Consort, Kuran Zero!"

They paused with the announcement, taking in the room of orderly chaos. Huge pillars of gold threaded marble supported the large room, two at every corner. Gold mosaic whirled in almost sickening patterns on the floor, matching the shimmering gold wallpaper. In the center of the room, a gold five tiered fountain spouted blood wine, the color, dark and rich against the cream and gold color scheme of the room.

Kaname watched with detached disenchantment as the crowd took one knee before them. He imagined it was Zero, on two knees, his red, swollen mouth stretched wide around his…..

Zero's eyes narrowed like a scythe hungry for blood as he caught the tail end of that very private thought. _Careful._ He cautioned angrily. _I doubt your guests are prepared to see a very irate mate._

With that being said, Zero returned his focus back to the multitude of people paying them homage, the image of Kaname's imagination burning in his mind. He remembered attending such parties when he was a fledgling hunter, showing blatant disrespect by not bowing before vampire royalty, staring Kaname Kuran squarely in the eye. _Who would have thought that I would be completely opposite that now?_ In the past five years he had gotten used to the irony, but it was moments such as these that returned the feeling with hammering intensity.

He spotted Yuki, Ichijo beside her supporting her with graceful poise. He saw where Ichiru knelt, Aidou's sunshine hair shining not too far behind him. If he were in a more humorous mood, he would have laughed at that. His small knot of hunters stood towards the back also kneeling, though he knew that it was more on the account of him than any polite vampire protocol. He smirked ruefully. He would have to have a talk with them about it later. Kain was among the horde, head bowed, but eyes scanning the room surreptitiously, Ruka pale and perfect at his side. Seiren, Cross, and Toga he did not see, but that didn't surprise him in the least.

And then the moment passed, the throng rousing in a sinuous wave of royal dignitaries and their families which was composed of several Pureblood families. All towing their daughters as they threw them into the hodge podge like bait.

Oh, how he hated these parties.

His mate's tantalizing fragrance only made it worse, like a dark, piquant seasoning that flavored the air around them. When he would have pulled away and left Kaname to his own devices, his mate's hand tightened around his elbow as he began to glide down the steps, giving Zero no choice but to follow or fall on his ass. He almost growled when Kaname led him to the first circle of admirers. The South American Consular and his curveous wife with hair, the color of midnight silk flowing over her back to her waist. She smiled brilliantly at Zero as she always did, the couple having spent a lot of time in their home. They were supporters of Kaname's radical thoughts and it showed in their enthusiastic greetings.

"Senor Quinta, Señora," Kaname opened respectfully.

"Come now!" Mariela crowed in her deep lilting voice. "Don't be so formal Señor Kuran! Zero, you're looking positively radiant! Don't tell me that this brute is finally making you happy!" She teased cheerfully.

Zero grinned back at her, snatching a quick glance at Kaname to witness the flinching beneath his bland visage, like deep currents in a still lake. "Well, as much as this brute can." He responded easily. Of all the politicians, Javier Quinta was by far his favorite and he wondered if Kaname had led him to him first for a reason because he never did anything without reason. They were opened minded trendsetters in an age of antiquated beliefs.

Señor Quinta shook his head with wry humor. "I apologize for my wife's frankness." But the way his eyes settled lovingly on Mariela let them know he was used to it and loved it as they knew he did. "It is good to see you both again. You've been quite busy. I'm glad to see that your alliance is working smoothly."

"Ah, yes." Kaname returned jovially. "Allying myself with the Hunter's Association was one of the best ideas that I ever had." His black eyes slanted to Zero. "Not that I had much choice."

Understanding completely, Javier lowered his voice covertly. "Though I hear that level E activity has in increased. It has worried me."

"As it should." Kaname agreed. "It seems that some purebloods are taking it upon themselves to further their own personal goals. I will not stand for it and the one committing these acts of treason will answer."

Mariela rolled her eyes, intersecting to grab Zero's hand. "And we get into the boring talk. Come walk with me Zero and you can tell me how you've been while we rescue other bored socialites."

Zero agreed readily, though he did take exception to being called a bored socialite. It gave him a chance to get away from Kaname's clutches, which were currently digging into the soft skin of his elbow as if he would never let go. His mate gave him a warning look that he ignored as Mariela led him away.

_Don't be away too long, _that look said plainly.

Zero ignored it, happy to be away, Kaname's aura suffocating.

"So what is going on?" Mariela questions seriously as they separated from the two politicians, predictably heading in Yuki's direction. "Kaname seems a bit tense and I must tell you the look on your face was not happy at all though you glow."

"I honestly don't know Mari. He seems very nervous lately. But he won't tell me why." He answered easily as they quickly overtook Yuki's group.

"But you should be able to tell through the bond." Mariela looked truly confused and hated to explain that he wasn't comfortable walking Kaname's mind.

"It's more complicated then it seems." He sighed and then they were in the midst of Yuki's group. A trio of simpering virgins that twittered every time Ichijo made a statement. Yuki was a portrait of health and vitality, the scarlet of her gown bringing out the highlights of her chestnut hair and the warm sherry of her eyes. She smiled as the two walked up. Ichijo gave a look of question.

"He's over there in the sea of flesh eating politicians." He waved in Kaname's direction where he'd been accosted by several dignitaries. "I'm going to make the rounds. I just wanted to deliver this lovely lady."

He made a quick exit, ignoring Mari's slightly betrayed expression, his destination Ichiru who was currently swimming in his own sea of lovelies. He didn't particularly want to discuss he and Kaname's relationship now that the two of them were practically at each other's throats. It was because he really didn't understand it. Not to say that Kaname couldn't be cruel, but he was usually cruel to others besides Zero. That he'd voiced those terrible words tonight, coupled with his obvious avoidance of the situation angered him and worried him in turns. His mate only acted this way when he was hiding secrets and it was driving Zero crazy to know what secrets he was hiding. Not to mention it was driving him crazy that his wasn't taking up his husbandly duties. _That _had never happened no matter how stressed Kaname was. In fact it was the only stress reliever that really worked for his pureblood so why wasn't he partaking now?

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the lovely young woman approach so that she caught him totally off guard when she spoke.

"Your Grace?"

He looked, startled, into eyes as blue as water encrusted diamonds. Her patrician features were framed by a wealth of hair that resembled undiscovered gold. She stood his height and her eyes gleamed coldly as they always did when she spoke to him. He stifled the urge to frown as she stopped his progress through the crowd with swanlike nod of her head.

"I was wondering if you would walk with me for a moment. There are things I would discuss with you."

"Miss Shibuki," He replied graciously, though he felt anything but at the moment. "But I don't know how much I can help you. I am here in an unofficial capacity."

"That is fine. In fact I would just like an appointment to come and speak with you. At your office."

That surprised him. Though he and Kaname had made it clear that the previously warring factions were now alliances, vampires rarely came to him for help. If any at all. Suddenly he felt prickles, like a thousand tiny knives digging into his spine and knew that Kaname's eyes were on him. He readjusted his coat uncomfortably and nodded at the Sara. "Of course. I will be in the office the night after tomorrow night. Would that be sufficient for you?"

A small, cold smile graced her smooth, pink lips. "That would suffice. I thank you, Your Grace." She nodded, taking her leave, leaving him staring after her in bafflement.

Just what in the hell would pureblood royalty have to discuss with him? They were usually very discreet, keeping matters among themselves.

_Having fun?_

His head jerked up and to the side and Kaname was there across the ballroom. He was surrounded by several nobles and purebloods, a glass of bloodwine in his hands. His expression was dark, his eyes secured on him as if he could pull Zero to his side just with a look. Looking at him, Zero swallowed roughly, imagining what it would be like when they were alone. He didn't relish spending the night in Kaname's presence and wondered if he should just stay in Ichiru's rooms tonight. Speaking of which…

He turned away from Kaname, leaving his sarcastic question unanswered, heading towards his original destination once again.

_If you think I will let you spend the night away from me, you're mistaken._

_Damn it! Stay out of my head!_ The scowl he directed in Kaname's direction could be taken as dirty play. _I can do what the hell I like!_

The blackest chuckle sounded in his head. _We'll see…._

He didn't look back at the King of Vampires as he stomped his way over to Ichiru, wondering why in the hell he'd ever succumbed to Kaname's wiles in the first place.

_It wasn't as if you had a choice._

And now that was his own voice of conscience.

He entered Ichiru's atmosphere like a speeding comet, anger propelling him, running from that glaring fact. He really hadn't. His body and mind had responded to Kaname, sealing his fate with the pureblood and now here he was subject to his whims. The ladies looked at him in surprise as he entered their sphere, then cowered back at the fierce scowl that transformed his face. Seeing their reaction, he smoothed his expression as best he could and smiled affably.

"Sorry ladies, but can I steal my brother for a moment?"

Ichiru was looking at him with curiosity and concern. He excused himself politely, waiting until they well away before addressing his brother. "Was there a reason you dragged me out of the middle of that gorgeous group of women?"

"Oh let it go," Zero huffed gesturing into the crowd. "Like _he's _ever going to let you."

Ichiru's eyes followed the direction of his brother's hand and tangled with Aidou's. The glittering blue orbs were intent on him, whatever his companion was saying not being paid attention to in the slightest. Realizing that he now had the silverette's regard, he winked, his smile broader at the edges. Ichiru made a noise of irritation and turned his gaze away. His cheeks were the color of ripe cherries. "Fuck you," He muttered. "It's your fault I'm in this position anyway." He grumbled.

"Well, would you prefer dead?" Zero sniped.

"No," Ichiru answered with exaggerated calmness. "I would have preferred alive with someone who isn't constantly eluding that he'll fuck my brains out!" He stopped abruptly. "Did you come all the way over here just to fuck with me?"

"Of course. I was bored." They were now at the glorious fountain of blood wine and Zero snagged an ornate goblet that matched it and held it under the spout of wine until it was almost full. "Besides all you were doing was pissing Aidou off. And believe me you don't want to piss your mate off."

Ichiru was speechless for a full minute. "And just when did everyone decide that it was a forgone conclusion that I would mate Aidou?"

"Oh, I'd say about two years ago when you told us you'd find a new donor and then Aidou informed us that he'd rip the head off of anyone that we found who wasn't him."

"W-w-w-what?" Ichiru spluttered. "Is that why-"

"Yep. You know that Kaname likes to keep his lieutenants happy," Zero chortled, then sobered at the comical look of surprise on Ichiru's face. "No, really. No one comes between a mating couple. Not even the _King_."

"But who in the hell decides they're going to mate someone without their knowledge and approval?"

Zero turned to Ichiru, all amusement gone, the drink in his hand partially forgotten. "Answer me seriously. Do you get turned on when you drink from him?"

Ichiru turned his head away and moments passed before he gave a response. When he did, his voice was subdued. "Yes."

Zero chose his words carefully. "That's how it was in the beginning for me. I was aroused and shaky as hell every time Kaname came near me. If you think Aidou hasn't noticed your mistaken. He'll take his cue from you, but make no mistake when he's pushed, he'll do what it takes to claim you especially if he thinks that someone else is close. It's really surprising that he's waited this long. But, then again, Kaname first took notice of me when I was just a child so maybe not so surprising."

"Damn it! You speak so casually of it!" Ichiru grabbed his own goblet. "How can you accept being _owned_?"

Zero chuckled, deeply amused now. "It depends on _who's_ doing the _owning_. Kaname can never deny anything I ask for. Or couldn't until about three months ago." Zero frowned down at his cup. "You should read _Vampire Mannerisms, _it will help you."

"Well, maybe you should read about it. Maybe it will help you with _your _condition."

Zero glared at his mirror image, gaze like a sharpened battle knife. "I don't have a _condition. _I'm just tired and when this damn tribute and politics are over I'm going to take a long vacation._" _He tipped the goblet to his mouth and blinked at his suddenly empty hand, and then at Aaron who stood at his side his glass firmly in his possession.

When had the American hunter entered their sphere?

"President." Aaron's deep voice rumbled over them like a velvet earthquake. "Kaname humbly requests you presence for his toast."

Okay, something was definitely up between his mate and his hunter! He gave Aaron a level look as he felt Kaname approach. It was full of questions. "We are definitely going to have a talk you and I," He threatened quietly, as Kaname's aura swept over them. He held Aaron's unflinching gaze as Kaname inserted himself between them, his hand returning to its former position at his elbow. All at once, he felt chains entwining him as his mate pulled him closer. Kaname studiously ignored his eyes as he accepted the goblet from Aaron's hand. He raised it to the crowd, looking as if he'd planned the entire encounter. His scarred voice filled the room to bursting and Zero winced as he remembered why his voice and eyes were like they were.

"Thank you for joining me tonight! It is a testament to how many of us yearn for a different future. I and my council are more determined to see that you get it! Enjoy the festivities tonight for tomorrow we work towards a better future and it will be hard work!"

He felt it. An aberration in the air as Kaname spoke, a void of nothingness where something should be. He felt Kaname tense beside him. He turned sharply to his right, towards Kaname even as his mate leaned into him, covering his body. He felt a piece of the void detach itself, heading towards them at collision speed. He jerked, upsetting Kaname's balance so that the unseen projectile clipped Kaname's neck instead of taking him full in the throat as it intended. Several ladies cried out in alarm as a thin line of blood decorated Kaname's neck. More screams followed as he felt several more projectiles scatter the room. He turned unconsciously, following the obscured assailant, knowing instinctively where they were headed.

He collided with Kaname's hands in the middle of his turn, his pureblood's eyes shining molten red as he pushed Zero back into Aaron's waiting hands. "Stay here. Keep him out of harm's way."

For a moment of sheer disbelief and then riotous fury, Zero watched the blur of his mate as he followed the invisible assassin. Toga, Cross and Seiren bounded after him with Ichiru, Aidou, Ichijo and Kain hot on their heels. It wasn't until several of Kaname's enforcers went after him that he broke out of his stupor. He jammed his elbow into Aaron's sternum, caught the man's chin with his shoulder, using the blow to propel himself into motion. He felt Aaron's finger scrabble at the collar of his jacket and shed it as he ran, knowing Aaron wouldn't be able to keep up.

He ran the corridors more from memory than by sight, too focused on Kaname's mental voice. He let his link to Kaname guide him. After several hallways he turned a corner and burst into the most obscene fight he'd ever witnessed. It looked as if Kaname and his collection were fighting a parody of a battle. His circle of friends and family ranged in a loosely formed circle all sporting various degrees of blood.

Kaname's shirt was rent from shoulder to abdomen, blood oozing sluggishly from a shallow wound. Or he hoped it was shallow. He was moving too fast to take stock at the moment. Even know he could discern the smell of his mate and he felt a sense of shame as his fangs tingled with hunger.

His mate was on the defensive, his face a mask of ferocious concentration. That awful sense of nothingness flickered before him like a flame, there one minute, in other place the next. Kaname slide back, hands seeming to warp reality as he blocked a flurry of blows so fast that even a regular vampire wouldn't have been able to follow. He hesitated for the barest instant it took to recognize his mate's smell in the hallway and respond accordingly. It was enough to give their unseen assailant the upper hand.

Zero felt it come, felt the swishing wind behind the deadly blow, felt the deadly resolve behind it.

The world slowed down.

He'd never employed his speed so fast before. The figures of his comrades resembled flesh statues as he whipped around them, the current of his speed impacting the gale of the blow. He sensed the assailant's surprise as the blow was pulled, felt Kaname's hand bear down on his shoulder as the tip of a blade barely penetrated just below his breastbone. His finger compressed on Rose's trigger and she responded with a soft cough. He felt their assailant's astonishment right before Kaname's aura blasted sound and life back into the world around him. Everyone in the hallway was flattened by it, Rose almost whipped away from his fingers by the furor. When it died down, the twelve of them were alone in the hallway. Zero stared at the emptiness in front of him. A normal emptiness. He let Rose melt back into his bones.

"JUST WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"

Kaname's voice roared over him, a storm in its own right.

He turned, weary, small pain sinking into his small wound. "Saving your ass."

"BY GETTING KILLED?" Kaname hissed, his voice like a thunderstorm in the quiet, dimly lit hall, his body seeming to grow the length of it. Everyone in the hall trembled as his tone fell on them in a crashing wave.

His angry retort was silenced as Kaname's hands jerked him forward, damn near suffocating him as his face was pressed into his mate's chest.

"One of these days Zero. One of these days, you're going to find yourself locked away."

"And one of these days Kaname," Zero responded, relaxing into his one and only, relieved that he was still alive, reveling in the strength of his arms. The hallway swam dizzily around him. "You're going to learn how not to keep secrets."

**KxZ**

**Thank you so much for your REVIEWS, Faves and Follows! Sorry I had to cut that party short but it was becoming boring and you know how I hate boring!**

**Until Next Time…**


	4. Chapter 4

**I Do Not Own Vampire Knight (Damn It!)**

**A/N Thank You To My Wonderful Beta Loveless Raine!**

**Let's GO!**

**Chapter Four**

**Secrets and Temptations **

"I've never seen anything like it."

Seiren laughed harshly in the response to Toga's statement. "You didn't _see _it tonight either."

"My point exactly."

"Fascinating though."

All eyes turned to Cross who was staring into the fireplace where flames were popping merrily in contrast to their mood. His eyes were speculative, his scholar's brain working overtime.

The eleven of them were sprawled in different positions around the Kuran's solar study, a large airy room with ceiling to floor windows that led into their bedroom proper. They'd convened there for first aid after seeing everyone safely from the building of the King's headquarters. It was an intimate meeting of their closest confidantes, the atmosphere of the room comfortable as they discussed the new problem that had risen from the depths of secure negligence.

"We have to find out what it is and destroy it."

Now everyone's attention was on Kaname, who paced before a cream colored settee. Zero was curled on the couch, his head nestled on the sumptuous cushions. His eyes followed his mate, discontent coloring his face. Kaname stared right back. He made sure that his paces measured the length of Zero's distance on the couch so that he always stood in front of the silverette, not giving him a chance to move. Or escape. Since the incident he'd made sure Zero was in his direct line of sight at all times, the earlier scare prompting all of his territorial instincts. His inky eyes hadn't left Zero once. His aura was tightly contained, further evidence of his fury.

But it was the same for everyone in the room. Yuki lay between Ichijo's knees cradled against his chest, the mound of her belly seeming to take up all the space in front of them. A snippet of her hair was missing. A clean cut that had clearly been meant to take her head. Ichijo's hand's caressed the skin protecting his child, his eyes almost black with fury. It was the first time that Zero had actually seen the noble express anything but cheerful, playful amiability and maybe some irritation. Aidou sat behind the armchair that Ichiru occupied, his eyes hard sapphires. Those eyes seemed to be trying to bore holes in Ichiru's back. Blood stained the noble's shirt where an intangible blade had sliced through his arm. Angered tension flowed off of him as Ichiru attempted to ignore him. From the way the silverette didn't relax against the padded seat told Zero he wasn't succeeding in this endeavor. Kain was the only one who seem moderately calm, as none of the projectiles had threatened him or Ruka.

"How are we going to destroy it?" Seiren asked dryly. "It almost handed all of us our asses tonight. The only reason it stopped was because Zero showed up."

"Yes, it didn't seem intent on killing him like the rest of us," Cross mused. "I wonder why?"

Now everyone was looking at him curiously and he couldn't stand it. Zero shifted on the couch, his chest aching where the invisible blade had penetrated him. The wound was healing, but slowly and he resisted the urge to press a hand against it as his King's eyes traveled over it once again.

Kaname's eyes turned to Aaron for a split second. "I told you to keep him out of harms way."

Aaron shrugged. "Our president isn't good at taking orders."

The full force of Kaname's angry look fell on Zero again. "I know this well," Kaname murmured and his mate shivered at the underlying tone of rage that was still evident in his voice. Zero forced the uneasiness away. It was he who should be outraged. What, with the way his mate had been acting lately and…he glared at Aaron. Why in the hell was his subordinate taking orders from Kaname anyway? He hated not knowing what was going on in his world.

"So what now, Kaname-sama?" Seiren asked straightforwardly.

"Now, we follow the whisper of the rumors. I would definitely say it had to be someone at the tribute. We'll investigate every one who was there. We need to figure out a motive. We narrow it down to who has the most to gain from my death. And we have to find out what in the hell attacked us tonight." He rubbed at his chest. "Whatever it is, is very detrimental to our health. I still haven't healed completely."

Zero stared at Kaname as if he'd suddenly grown snakes for hair. "The rumors?" He suddenly felt lightheaded. "You knew about this? You knew someone was going to try and kill you tonight?" He was numb, his emotions buried under incredulousness. That Kaname would keep something of this magnitude from him floored him. "You deliberately put _yourself_ in _harm's way_ tonight?" His eyes flickered around the room, searching the knowing faces and not liking what he found. "And all of you knew about it?"

"Kaname-sama asked us not to tell you," Ichiru spoke up. "He knew it would just stress you out more than you've been lately." He looked down at his hands, unable to look his brother in the eyes.

Zero stood slowly, the betrayal seeping through him like an infected wound. He was cold, and his whole body ached. His glance at Kaname was vicious, feral almost. "I'm going to take a shower. If I don't see any of you for a couple of days that will be just fine." His voice was subdued, quiet as though an orchestra of rage wasn't shrieking through him. Everyone but Kaname winced. His mate refused to move from his path, a resolution deeper than his anger emanating from him. Kaname didn't avert his gaze as he spoke to the rest of the room.

"We'll adjourn for tonight. I would like everyone to make plans to stay here for the foreseeable future. I wasn't the only one targeted tonight. I want all of you safe."

Though it more polite than Zero's earlier dismissal, it was still a dismissal.

Aidou was the first to react, rising and grabbing Ichiru's arm, forcing him from the chair, curtailing his attempt to approach his brother. The silverette glared up at him as he was dragged from the room. He risked a quick glance back as he was forcibly removed from the room, his last sight Kaname and Zero facing each other down as though across a battlefield. It wasn't until they were two hallways away that he gained his bearings. He slapped Aidou's hand then growled low in his throat when the blonde's hold wasn't affected at all.

"Why did you do that?" He all but shouted as he dragged his feet, attempting to stop his headlong progress. "I wanted to-"

"That's not your business." Aidou snapped. His cobalt eyes gleamed as he opened the door to his rooms and thrust Ichiru inside. "And you have other things to focus on."

_Like me._

It was unspoken, but crystal clear as Aidou blocked his avenue of escape. His concern for his brother turned into concern for himself. Aidou stood with his arms at his sides, seemingly calm. But he was anything but. The tension reached out and wrapped around Ichiru in a strangle hold of tangible threads of annoyance and want. No, not want, _need._ Holding Ichiru's gaze, Aidou let him see into turbulent depths, showing him the deep visceral necessity of _him_. He shivered as he felt that need answered in his bones,his side of the connection responding, opening a little further. This was what deepened every time he drank from the noble. This extreme need to let the noble do as he wanted. To hand over the keys to his soul to the only person who knew how to unlock his door. It tripped him up, threw him aback as he struggled against his own cravings. But the golden, _shining _presence that was Aidou wouldn't let him retreat. His bright aura swirled around the room, touching upon him, warming him.

He trembled and stepped away, moving deeper into the room, furthering Aidou's obvious goal. But he couldn't help it. He had to distance himself from the sun that was burning him, threatening the very planes of his existence. The past image of Aidou, small and weak compared to what he was now assaulted his memory. The remembrance of the first time he'd drunk from the noble. His blue gaze had glittered the same then, hot even though the core of his burned like hot ice.

"You seem very skittish tonight." Aidou remarked idly, his feet covering the distance that Ichiru tried to put between them. "Though I can't blame you with the attack and all. You're still bleeding."

The abrupt change of subject threw Ichiru off and he instinctively glanced down at the wound across his collarbone that had quite healed yet. When he looked up again, Aidou was standing directly in front of him. He jumped and cursed the noble under his breath for moving so quickly. Aidou smiled and it was wicked, causing tingles to sweep up his skin. He wanted to move back again, but didn't want to show any signs of weakness. It was his undoing.

"I don't care what you say, you have to drink tonight."

And that wasn't all the blonde haired behemoth intended. It was writ across the smirk that drew the corner of his mouth up. He pulled his collar away, revealing the strong, elegant lines of his neck. "I thought we'd try something a little different tonight."

Ichiru trembled, the hot, clean smell of Aidou sweeping across his senses. Too late, he realized, he should have taken the obvious exit granted. Now Aidou crowded him, cutting off all of the routes he would have used. "You're bleeding too." He stated the obvious, hoping it would deter Aidou a little. No such thing. The blonde chuckled, removing his shirt completely, tossing it aside so that it draped over the dark couch.

"I wouldn't worry about that."

Ichiru paused, his mouth dry as sand heated by the sun. He was immediately arrested by the sight of Aidou's nakedness from the waist up, his skin smooth and golden, covering a sleek physique of muscular contours that made him want to kneel and offer himself up like as a feast. He swallowed roughly, praying to any God up there that Aidou could be distracted from his present course. The long slash on his arm bled sluggishly and the sight of it drew the silverette's attention to how good the blood smelled. Like a feast of Valhalla should smell.

And now he was hungry.

His tongue brushed his ultra sensitive fangs and he stifled the curse that wanted to escape. If he was going to get away from the blonde it had to be now.

"So what are you worrying about?" He was trying to stall.

"Did you enjoy yourself with the ladies tonight?"

Aidou was almost touching him, only a breath from making full contact, his scent of hot sunshine sinking deep into Ichiru's pores. Panic flooded through the silverette. He knew that if he didn't stop Aidou now, he would end up just like Zero.

"Aidou-"

"Hanabusa, or for you just Hana."

"I'm not drinking tonight. I'm not hungry."

"Do you think you can hide it from me? Your hunger?" Aidou tilted his head to the side, an offering that he would have been hard pressed not to accept if Zero's words weren't still streaming through his mind.

_When he's pushed, he'll do what it takes to claim you._

He wondered what had pushed the blonde tonight, the women or the attack. He wasn't going to take his time asking. Aidou reached for him, a large broad palm sweeping up his throat, touching the sensitive skin. Using the element of surprise, ignoring all the instincts inside him compelling him to respond to the touch, he stepped to the side, using all of his vampire speed to hurtle past his donor, towards the door. It loomed just before him, the short distance seeming like a million miles.

_Almost there!_

His hand touched the doorknob just as Hanabusa's hand slammed down on the jamb. A thin coating of ice sheeted down the door and his hopes sank, when he realized the door wouldn't budge. He attempted to turn away but only managed to run into Hana's shoulder as the noble wrapped one arm around him. He jerked when Hanabusa's fingers splayed across his stomach, the heat of his palm seeping through his shirt. He froze, as if Aidou's ice encompassed him instead of the door, heated forks of sensation shooting through his limbs. He drew in deep breaths. He'd always avoided being this close to Hanabusa, preferring to drink from his wrists, distancing himself from the encroaching feelings that threatened whenever he touched the noble. But now the nearness slapped him full in the face and the what he was feeling was definitely not fright or disgust. Full on lust claimed him and his body hardened, responded to the proximity. He felt his eyes slide shut as his body delighted in the nearness against his will. His response sizzled through his blood and he knew that Hanabusa could feel it because his was the same.

"I love it when you try to run," Hana whispered in his ear, his voice deep and rumbling. "Chasing you has become one of my most favorite pastimes. If I could, I would let you go just so that I could hunt you down again."

"You really should let me go." Ichiru cringed, his statement sounded like a plea and maybe it was. Aidou's blistering heat was causing his blood to boil with fevered calamity. Every inch of him felt like it was burning. Even the cold door in front of him wasn't enough to break the fever.

"I _need_ you."

He shivered as Hanabusa wrapped a hand around his chin, tilted his head back and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. The shock of it reverberated through him. It was soft, barely there but it seared his skin like lava. He clenched his teeth, tugging at the strong fingers that held him captive.

"Aidou, please don't do this."

"Don't do what?" Aidou's voice held a light, mocking curiosity. "Don't break down the barriers that you put up between us? Don't touch you? It's not possible. I'm at my breaking point. And I told you it's Hana."

"I'll find another donor."

He instantly regretted the threat when an emotion he'd never felt from the gregarious noble before rose from his skin. It was dark, and murderous. He felt ice cool Aidou's skin as he drew him back fully against his hard body. His mouth trailed up the sleek tendons of Ichiru's throat to his ear.

"Try it," He warned. "Hopefully it's no one Kaname really needs."

A hard jolt of desire shook him as teeth nibbled at his ear lobe. He began to struggle then, a last resort as the walls he'd erected began to tumble. He felt that pulsing connection between them widen and become stronger. And Hana hadn't even drunk from him yet! He feared how strong the connection would be if he ever allowed Hana to complete it but even that thought wasn't enough to still his attraction. The smooth heat of Aidou's mouth consumed his reluctance. "Damn you!"

Hana chuckled and tugged harder on his soft flesh. "The same old stubborn Ichiru. When are you going to realize the fight is hopeless and just give in?"

"Like I would willingly give up my freedom!"

Hana paused and held him even tighter, the cage of his arms belying his next words. "Give up your freedom? I don't recall threatening to lock you away."

"It would be the same thing! Look at Kaname and Zero! I mean my brother can't take a piss without Kaname knowing about it."

Hana began to laugh outright, the sound rich and velvet, vibrating against his body. It stroked over all his erogenous zones so that he was too dazed and distracted to realize when Hana began to move. He tumbled Ichiru onto a low couch and made himself comfortable next to him, still cracking up. Ichiru stared at him, lavender eyes wide in surprise. He looked so carefree, his long blonde hair seething around his shoulders, his face lit from the laughter, muscles bunching and releasing. It made him want to reach out and touch him and because the yearn to do so was so strong he didn't. His eyes darted to the door as he wondered how far he would get.

Hanabusa sobered abruptly, attuned to his every mood. "You can try if you like."

"See?" Ichiru grumbled glaring at him. "No freedom."

Hana just smiled back at him. "You can have all the freedom you want as long as you're not using it to get away from me. And since it seems to bother you so much I'll grant you a short reprieve."

Ichiru sighed in relief and started to swing his legs from the couch and then cried out in shock when Hanabusa's hand curled around his nape yanking him back so that their faces were breaths apart. "A reprieve from the bond, not me."

And now he was confused. "Isn't it the same?" He asked hesitantly, conscious of Hana's mouth so near his.

"No, it's not the same," Hana snapped, a little of his earlier agitation returning with having what he wanted so close, yet still unattainable. "You'll stay here. We'll get to know each other and when you're ready, I'll let you bond me."

"Stay here?! Let me bond you!" Ichiru spluttered in disbelief. "I'll never- Hey!"

He jerked as Hanabusa closed the distance between them. But he didn't kiss him, oh no that would have been too easy. Instead the disgruntled noble leaned in a raked the tip of a sharp fang across his throat, opening a smaller but no less devastating wound. He whimpered as a hot tongue stroked up the tiny bead of blood, the connection between them shuddering as it tried to grow. He growled as Hana drew back, his eyes glowing scarlet now.

"You taste even better than I imagined."

He gulped, the words of reproof dying before they left his mouth as he met Hanabusa's eyes. Only a thin ring of blue showed through the red and the once again the need was apparent. He shivered as he watched the beast fill those eyes. He couldn't find it in himself to look away. Slowly, so slow as if Hana was making sure that he didn't miss a movement, his tongue slicked across his lips, his expression changing to one of hunger. His lids slid lower and his aura undulated around them in soft waves. Caressing waves. Hanabusa still held him and his hand crept under the silver silk of his hair and clenched in the strands so he couldn't back away.

"Wait, Hana." He pressed a hand to Hanabusa's chest and instantly became mesmerized with the heartbeat that thumped under his hand, racing with excitement. It was so strong, and vital. It captured him as surely as Hana's mouth did a second later. The first touch was exploratory, that tempting mouth sweeping back and forth across his, learning the curves and textures as Hana tilted his head to better align their lips. Then the kiss firmed, lips sealing his as that same hot tongue probed, took over his mouth in a move that would have been envied by the corporate world. Heat suffused Ichiru's cheeks as the hot, honeyed flavor of Hana filled him, so contrary to the ice that flowed in Hanabusa's veins. It was gentler than he expected, the seduction more patient that the emotions that'd flashed in Hana's eyes.

_Because he thinks I'm his already!_

_Well, aren't you?_

And then he wasn't thinking anymore as the soft rasp of Hanabusa's tongue stroked every contour, every corner, every sensitive inch of his mouth, curling playfully with his own in a dance as old as time itself. Ichiru could only gasp, escape forgotten as Hana nibbled on his tongue and then sucked it into his mouth to sooth the aching pleasure. The feelings it caused, the sensations that traveled up every nerve ending shocked him and his body flared to fevered, tempestuous life. He wriggled backwards trying to detach the instrument of torture before he gave into something he wasn't ready for. Before he asked the noble to bite him and see what all the fuss was about. But Hana wasn't letting go. He pressed his mouth down even harder, sealing them together the kiss becoming voracious as he attempted to devour his mate. It only made the shuddering bond between them quake even worse as it sought a firmer hold on both of them without the proper feeding and bedding. It was painful as it tried to expand inside of him, trying to link them together, his arousal rising between their bodies. To his complete amazement he found himself opening for that ravaging kiss, his sensibility taking the back burner for once. It felt so good to have Hanabusa's mouth on his, almost but not quite relieving the ache that throbbed deep in his bones. And Hanabusa took advantage pressing even deeper, nipping at the tender verge of his mouth, eating the soft, panting sensual sounds he couldn't stop himself from making.

It was Hanabusa who pulled back, cursing, the kiss ending as abruptly as it'd started, heated rigidity making his shoulders seem larger. They stared at each other, their breaths harsh in the quiet room. Hana's narrowed eyes searched his wide, dazed ones before he reached up and stroked his thumb across Ichiru's swollen lips. And Ichiru couldn't help himself. He let his tongue flick across the silky pad, stealing another taste of the noble. Hanabusa released him so quickly he almost fell forward onto his face.

"Be careful how you tempt me," He warned. "Or you'll find yourself bonded sooner than you're prepared for."

"Tempt you? You're the one who kissed me!" He flinched at how weak his voice sounded.

Hanabusa stood as if he were trying to put more space between them. "How could I not with those hot lavender eyes begging me to? Maybe Kaname is right in his approach. You're too fucking tempting let out of the house."

Hanabusa was walking away before he could come up with a smart ass comeback, pulling the band that contained his hair free as he headed for the bedroom. "Make yourself at home, I'll have your things moved here tomorrow."

Ichiru watched, dazed and quivering, as Hanabusa left the room, unconcerned with leaving him alone, the strands of his hair flowing over his wide shoulders and down his back in golden rivulets. His long legged stride was relaxed, the curves of his ass flexing with every step. The picture it left in his mind was undeniably sexy. And scary. He touched the throbbing skin of his neck and snatched his hand away as the warmth of the scratch burned his fingers. His entire body burned the same way. After only one 'd even forgotten about his bloodlust. He could only imagine what two kisses would do. And now he understood what Zero had been trying to tell him all of these years, trying to explain why he couldn't escape Kaname. He understood it now. How you could let someone's will impose on your own, when someone's aura, heart and body felt so good to you that you would let them get away with doing whatever they wanted.

_Shit!_

The first thing he tried to do was escape, pulling on the door and windows, cursing when none of them yielded. All of them were coated in thin sheets of ice. When had Hana done that? And when had he become so powerful? Defeated, he sat on the couch, facing the door that Hana had disappeared through, swearing to himself to keep a vigilant watch just in case the arrogant noble tried anything further.

Fearing that he just might let him if he did.

**HxI**

**Well I must say, I'm enjoying writing this couple…..LOL. I hope you enjoy it as much!**

**Thank You for all of your Amazing Reviews! **

**And all of your faves and follows!**

**Until Next Time…**


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